Digital Polarizing
Review – Arctic Adventures: Polar’s Puzzles PSP (PlayStation Minis)
Platform owner Sony’s foray into digital bite-sized games for PSP and PS3 so far has spawned more that 100 in-the-cheap games since the PlayStation Minis launched last year.
Developer and publisher Eiconic Games has chosen a somewhat novel path for their first Minis title. The company earlier this year launched Polar Puzzle on Microsoft and Sony’s digital marked places for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The title is now back as a retooled budget offering for PSP and PS3, stripping away the original’s story and multiplayer modes, leaving us with a streamlined and satisfying puzzler aptly renamed ‘Arctic Adventures: Polar’s Puzzles’.
Humble building blocks
The premise in Polar’s Puzzles is quite simple, but put to good use delivering a game play experience that tests your reactions, memory and ability to think geometrically. The feisty artic bear Polar is challenged to defeat brain teasers that is best described as modern versions of the sliding jigsaw, albeit spiced up quite a bit! Basic ground rules require, that a number of pressure pads must be activated, before Polar can make his sweet escape. To achieve this end you’ll position boxes, activate bombs in a hopefully timely manner and accurately slide slippery ice bricks around.
Dexterity, timing and concentration is the order of the day – whether you’re trapping volatile barrels, build bridges between floating icebergs or setting of domino explosions. Moves must be carefully arranged, in sequences often more than 20 to 30 steps deep. But know this – Polar’s Puzzles has no sense of mercy: use an ice block or bomb in error, and it is back to the starting line.
Arctic Adventures feels surprisingly fresh and original compared to the hordes of Tetris-clones, that we’re normally treated too in the puzzle genre. You’ll experience than elusive but sweet sense of accomplishment when you crack the hardest nuts, and seldom do you begrudge the game anything, when you have to start the more devious stages over again. Rare indeed and the mark of puzzle games that are truly worth your time.
Perseverance will be rewarded
50 levels divided into 10 tiers lies ahead – should you choose to accept the challenge. The learning curve is quite considerate put together; the first five or so levels will ease you gently into the game’s universe and possibilities before putting the hammer down, hard! You’ll easily pull 8-10 hours of fun out of Arctic Adventures, not counting replays aiming for better time and lesser moves.
It all adds up!
Arctic Adventures impresses with some good looking stages, cute menus combined with fine models and animations. The title doesn’t offer much in the audio apartment, with some very basic sound effects and throwaway tunes. Still, above par from what you’ll normally get from the Minis platform.
Even pared down compared to the XBLA and PSN versions Arctic Adventures: Polar’s Puzzles is a most worthwhile addition to the PSP’s library; even more so if you measure the asking price against what’s offered in the package. High production values, plenty of value for money and solid puzzle action at hand – what are you waiting for?
Verdict: Get it! (Verdict list: ‘Get it!’, ‘Borrow’ or ‘Never mind’)
For in-game screenshots and more handheld game reviews, news and articles visit: Burning Thumbs.
About the Author
Tommy A. is a veteran gamesjourno with several years of work for numerous commercial websites, covering industry news, reviews, previews and various articles. More from the handheld video game scene at Burning Thumbs.
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